The Lacuna Project

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Exhibit 356

Report of Investigation: Mr. Patrick M. Shanahan, Acting Secretary of Defense (DODIG-2019-082)

Exhibit 356 ยท Inspector general evaluation

Report of Investigation: Mr. Patrick M. Shanahan, Acting Secretary of Defense (DODIG-2019-082)

We did not substantiate any of the allegations. We determined that Mr. Shanahan fully complied with his ethics agreements and his ethical obligations regarding Boeing and its competitors.

Investigation of allegations that Shanahan promoted Boeing. Interviewed Shanahan and 33 witnesses under oath. Records Shanahan's Boeing career (March 1986 to June 2017), his 7 June 2017 recusal letter and the screening arrangement. Did not substantiate any allegation.

Source
DoD Office of Inspector General
Date
25 April 2019
Quoted from
DODIG-2019-082, p. 5
Grade
Primary record
Document
https://media.defense.gov/2019/Apr/25/2002120583/-1/-1/1/DODIG-2019-082.PDF
Accessed
2026-11-09
Cited by
Findings citing this exhibit

Cited by

Finding DEF-4.7
Primary record Seven officials are documented moving between Defense Department posts and the boards or payrolls of defense contractors in dated steps from 2009 to 2021, under the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations. Five of them (Lynn, Shanahan, Esper, Mattis and Austin) came to senior Pentagon posts from contractor roles, and four (Work, Pawlikowski, Mattis and Austin) took contractor board seats after leaving DoD posts or the armed services.
Finding DEF-4.8
Primary record Four officials who came to the Pentagon from contractor roles stated their recusal terms in their own agreements: Shanahan (Boeing), for the duration of his service; Esper (Raytheon), one year, with a continuing limit tied to his deferred compensation; Mattis (General Dynamics), one year; and Austin (Raytheon Technologies), four years. The DoD Inspector General investigated 2019 allegations that Shanahan promoted Boeing and did not substantiate any of them.